The Sunday Tribune recently revealed that over 20m was spent on private taxis in 2006 in the 10 HSE regions. The only health authority to refuse to reveal figures was the former North Eastern Health Board which covers Louth, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan, as well as parts of north and west Dublin.

However, Sinn Fein councillor Tomas Sharkey from Louth has secured figures from the HSE which reveal that 6,958,060.50 was paid for taxis in the northeast last year. Some 3.98m was spent taking patients from smaller hospitals to Drogheda. Just 909,306 was paid to move patients in Dublin, with a bill of nearly 5m for Louth, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan.